§ MR. A. C. MORTON (Peterborough)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to a letter in The Daily Telegraph, signed Clement Scott, respecting the health and condition of -Arabi Pasha; and whether the Government can see their way to allow Arabi Pasha and his fellow exiles to return to Egypt on the conditions mentioned in the letter referred to?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE,) Edinburgh, MidlothianThe facts stand thus: In June, 1891, there was an inquiry into the question of the health of the exiles in Ceylon. There was one of them with regard to whom it was found that a continued residence in the island was not desirable. A change was offered to him, but he refused it. The official Report with respect to the rest of the exiles says that on grounds of health there is no reason why they should be removed from Ceylon. The English Government do not feel themselves warranted in any way in endeavouring to over-rule the decision that Arabi Pasha ought not to be removed on grounds other than grounds of health. It should be borne in mind that when the sentences were originally pronounced on the exiles they only became inoperative on the condition of the exiles always remaining at a distance from Egypt.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREasked if it would require the assent of the Egyptian Government to remove the exiles from Ceylon to some other part of Her Majesty's dominions?
§ MR. T. G. BOWLESIs Arabi Pasha detained as a prisoner of war?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEThe subject of Arabi's detention has been the subject of discussion in this House before, and I do not propose to re-open it. With reference to the question of the hon. Member for Northampton, I apprehend that this subject can be considered without any reference to the Government of Egypt, but I am not 1616 aware that there are any grounds for taking this particular matter into consideration at the present time.